Are You a Perfectionist Manager?

It’s one thing to hold your team to a high standard, but taking it to the extreme by being a perfectionist manager is a surefire way to undermine their morale and performance. To make sure your desire for flawlessness doesn’t backfire, first, design the right goals. Strike a balance between challenging and attainable to keep your employees motivated but not stressed. And remember, progress is more important than perfection. If one of your employees falls short of their goals, highlight the new knowledge, skills, and experience they gained in the process. Reframing performance in this way will help your team focus on improving future performance.

It’s also important to recognize and reinforce that failure is part of the process. If you show your team that you’re intolerant of failure, you’ll quash their creativity and motivation. Encourage experimentation and outside-the-box thinking, even if it’s not certain to pay off. And finally, be kind—both to yourself and your employees.

Perfectionism often stems from fear. Positive self-talk can help you overcome hypercritical and catastrophic thinking and, in turn, will lead to a more compassionate relationship with your team.

This tip is adapted from “The Costs of Being a Perfectionist Manager,” by Anna Carmella G. Ocampo et al.